“What happens if you stop breathing during anesthesia?”

Hello,

Anesthesia normally stops your breathing, but we take care and breathe for you with a ventilator. If your heart stops, the anesthesiologist deals with that. We are excellent resuscitators.
Don't worry.

First let me say that your fear is common, and many more wonder about this issue but fail to verbalize their concerns. Depending upon what type of procedure you are having done, you will likely stop breathing and that is why you have an anesthesia trained person to take care of you. I say anesthesia trained person because not all anesthesia providers are doctors. There are also nurses with anesthesia training providing anesthesia care to patients, however they are not anesthesiologists. Soon, there will also be nurses with PhDs providing anesthesia and calling themselves doctor even though they are not Medical Doctors (MD). Just like your Primary Care Doctor, is not the equivalent of a Nurse Practitioner or a Physician's Assistant, Nurse Anesthetists are not the equivalent of Anesthesiologists. However, any of these anesthesia trained providers should be able to provide you airway support, meaning that if you are intended to stop breathing, then we breathe for you. Anesthesia trained individuals should be airway experts and they will provide airway support with "breathing tubes" or a variety of airway devices. The majority of my patients stop breathing, but in 25 years of practice, that has been a non-issue. So, on the day of surgery, speak to your anesthesia provider and let them allay your fears and answer your questions. Regardless of what you are having done, you should be fine barring anything extraordinary occurring.

As to your heart stopping, that would be an extraordinary event. In 25 years of practice, the only patients who have had their hearts stopped were those where it was intended, such as in Open Heart Surgery or an intended Cardiac Arrest (none of which died - it is planned for the procedure). Otherwise none of my patients have had their hearts stop. Should that happen and it is unintended, your anesthesia provider should be able to help "restart" your heart, so to speak.

Best,

B. Robles, MD

Your anesthesia team monitors your vital signs continuously to ensure your safety. We are there to make sure you stay asleep and alive.